A Different Kind of Day
by MickeyTaco
Summary: Set in Crod42's A Blacksmith's Tale Universe, Dillon and Annie take a break from the stress and angst they've endured. This is written paying tribute to and gifted to Crod42. If you haven't checked out his story, A Blacksmith's Tale, I highly suggest you do!


Something was off. Dillon could sense it, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Sasha had grinned broader than usual at breakfast, and Connie had elbowed the food-obsessed girl, whispering something under his breath. If he had been more focused, he might have been able to infiltrate the brunette's mind and get to the bottom of it. It wouldn't take much, just-

"So, sparring today, like we planned?" Jean clapped a hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping his thoughts in their tracks.

"Right, of course," Dillon replied, shaking his head clear. It was probably just paranoia on his part.

"So, where's Annie?" Jean asked as the pair walked to the area where they typically trained.

"She's training Levi's squad again today. He wasn't impressed with their performance last time, so he's having her challenge them," Dillon explained.

The ground shaking nearby confirmed his words, and over the treetops, he could see the straight blonde hair of his girlfriend in Titan form. A feral growl came from her throat, and the faint whir of ODM gear could be heard as well.

A blow to the stomach knocked the wind out of him, effectively doubling him over. Eyes flashing, he whirled to see Jean grinning at him, taking a fighter's stance. "You going to gawk at your girlfriend's giant ass all day, or are you going to fight?"

"It's not a- Never mind," Dillon grumbled. He straightened and circled the blond. "Same rules as always?"  
"What the hell do you think?" Jean snorted, shaking his head, slowly circling as well. "I'd prefer to have a chance at sparring with you, not to be knocked on my ass by your freaky mind powers."

"'Freaky mind powers?' Oh, you're asking for it," he taunted. He let his eyes flash silver for a second, silently enjoying the audible gulp from the teen.

"You wouldn't. You know what the penalty is," Jean cautioned, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, believe me, I've weighed the risks," Dillon grinned as he closed the distance. "Maybe you'll learn not to make fun of my powers."

"Bring it on, dumbass," Jean smirked at him, enjoying the thrill of sparring with his best friend.

* * *

"Again!" Levi's tone left no room for argument. "Is that the best you can do?"

The Female Titan glowered down at him. Sweat beads were forming on her forehead, but she cracked a disturbing smile. "**I don't see you joining them," **she taunted.

Levi's deadpan met her grin. "If that's what you want."

"**I'm holding back to keep from killing anyone," **she replied.

A hook caught in her massive shoulder, and she hardened her nape on reflex, catching Petra as the ginger swung past. The woman sighed as her useless blades shattered against the crystallized skin. "I thought there was more of a chance while you were distracted with the Captain."

Annie rolled her eyes. "**Eld and Gunther are no better. Ignore the element of surprise. It rarely works unless your opponent is distracted with more than conversation."**

Eld stopped, his attention shifting to Levi. "What would you have us do, Captain?"

Levi stared back at him. "I said, '_Again,'"_ he repeated harshly. "Did your failure to defeat her affect your hearing?"

"No, sir," Eld replied, properly chastised.

"Captain? Permission to return to Headquarters for a new set of blades?" Petra asked meekly.

"Denied. You're not going to have a chance to resupply whenever you want in actual combat. Next time, you'll remember that before you pull a foolish stunt again."

Annie smirked slightly but said nothing. She popped the hook out of her skin, dropping it toward the now-silent ginger.

"One more time. Maybe if you don't disappoint me, it'll be the last time I say that," Levi deadpanned, stepping back to a safe distance to watch his squad work.

Petra blew out her breath and stepped closer to Eld, Gunther, and Oluo. "What's the plan?"

"Coordinated attack is the way to go. Here," Gunther handed her a single blade. "Try not to break this one, okay?"

She considered shooting him a glare, but given the handicap he'd just given himself, she thought better of it. "Thanks."

"**You might want to consider talking softer. I can hear your strategizing," **Annie's bored tone interrupted them.

"Enough wasting time," Levi snapped. "Get on with it."

"**Can I raise the stakes?" **The Female Titan spoke suddenly.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're hardly in a position to be bargaining right now."

"**If I can keep them from destroying the nape, give me the rest of the evening off."**

"Why, you got a hot date with Amsdale?" Levi scowled.

She didn't reply, choosing instead to stare him down with her piercing blue eyes.

"Fine. You manage to route my team again, and you'll get your wish. But Leonhart? They better be in one piece when you're finished," he warned.

She gave a single nod, shifting her weight into a defensive stance.

The four squad members scattered. The Female Titan's eyes followed the movement of the ones she could see, keeping her guard up. A blade sliced through the back of her right ankle, and she growled in pain, taking a knee heavily. Steam poured from the wound, and she crystallized her nape, watching for any sudden movements.

Hooks flew in from three directions, cutting into the flesh of her shoulders and collarbone. Annie's hand came up, pulling wires free as she watched over her shoulder. A pair of boots came from her blind spot, driving into her nose and breaking it with a loud snap. A sharp blade cut through her right eye, and she roared in pain and anger. She batted the assailant away, hearing Eld curse as he tumbled off her hand, sliding down her thigh to land on the ground. She poured as much of her healing into her eye as she could.

Oluo yelled as he sliced through her Achilles tendons a second time, bringing her down fully to her knees. He shot his hooks back up at the Female Titan, smiling smugly at her. "Not so tough when you're closer to our level, are you?" he taunted.

She growled, catching him by the cord and dangling him in front of her face, allowing him to see the sadistic grin that settled on her face. "**Remember who you're fighting, dumbass." **

Fear covered his face and he stammered, trying to retract his statement. "I, uh, I didn't mean it!"

She snapped the cord, allowing him to fall a ways before she caught him in her hand, dumping the quivering mess of a man none-too-gently to the dirt. Two of Levi's Squad were down. Only Gunther and Petra remained.

Petra blew out her breath, watching from a tree at the edge of the clearing. Gunther's eyes met hers from two trees away. While they needed the time to regroup and strategize, it meant that Annie had the time she needed to heal. They had to work fast now.

The Female Titan stood, stalking toward the cluster of trees. The grin came back to her face as she caught sight of the slight reflection of sunlight off Gunther's blade.  
"I hope you have a strategy," Petra hissed.

"Distract, injure, and go for the nape. Nothing more we can do," he replied.

She shook her head. "We don't stand a chance."

"Well, do you have any other ideas?"

Time for ideas was gone. The Female Titan had reached them. Swallowing down her fear, Petra shot her hooks forward and swung up toward Annie's face. A large fist blocked the ginger's progress. On impulse, she grabbed onto the large fingers. With the element of surprise on her side, she swiftly climbed up to the back of the giant hand.

Gunther seized his opportunity and jumped into action. If they wanted to have any chance, he had to time things just right. He silently hoped he wasn't going to die for his strategy but desperate times called for the appropriate measures. He fired his hooks upward.

It paid off. Annie's eyes flew wide, and she cried out in pain. Petra glanced down, stifling a laugh at the cause of her opponent's pain. But pain meant distraction. The ginger carefully balanced, running forward along the Female Titan's arm until she reached her shoulder.

Gunther shot forward, grasping onto the underside of her breast. It was a dirty move, hooking onto the Female Titan's chest, but it was the only way of distracting her that he could think of. He dug his blade across her breastbone, earning another pained grunt from the now-seething blonde.

"**You fight dirty, you're going to regret it," **she snapped. Her fingers wrenched him away from her chest and she held him up to her face. "**You ever pull a move like that again, and there will be nothing left for them to identify."** To further add insult to injury, she plucked Petra off her left shoulder as the woman ran her borrowed blade across the joint where her neck connected to her body. She shook her head, staring at the last pair of Scouts facing her and gave a short laugh.

"**Pity. Looks like I win this round." **She knocked their heads together hard enough to leave both with a nasty headache, and dumped them on the ground beside Captain Levi.

"Shift back. Then we'll talk." He said, his face conveying no emotion.

Annie stepped back to the middle of the clearing and crystallized the tips of her fingers. She sliced through the thin flesh covering the nape of her neck and pulled herself free, leaving the steaming remains of the Titan form to disintegrate. Red streaks formed a halo around her eyes, but she ignored it. She walked slowly back to where Levi and his squad waited, silently collecting her thoughts.

"Let's get one thing straight, Leonhart. If you ever threaten my squad again, I will fucking behead you myself." The Captain's eyes locked firmly with her icy blue ones.

"Understood. Are we done here?" she asked emotionlessly.  
"You're dismissed," he waved her off.

The Shifter started to leave when Levi called to her, causing her to turn. "Stay out of the men's dorm, and above all, keep your filthy fluids the hell away from our water supply!"

Annie's neck turned red, but she lifted her chin defiantly. "Understood, Captain."

* * *

"It was so worth it," Dillon repeated for the third time, grinning in spite of himself.

"Says the one without a nasty headache," Jean muttered, on his hands and knees beside him on the floor. "I still don't understand why I'm stuck doing this with you when YOU were the one who decided to use his powers when we were just sparring."

"Blame Connie. He's the one who got us in trouble for leaving the rest of the group," the Psion pointed out.

"Like he's any better. You and I both know he did that to cover his ass to keep from getting in trouble for spending half the session necking with Sasha instead of in hand-to-hand combat with her," Jean glared at the door.

Dillon snorted, leaning back on his heels. "Three guesses who instigated that." He gave a chuckle. "I wonder how Annie's training went with Levi's Squad…"

"Oy! Lover boy! Focus! I actually want to finish this before the day is completely gone." Jean snapped his fingers in front of his friend's face.

The blacksmith sighed, and looked at the brush in his hand. "It had to be Captain Levi's idea of a punishment. Only he would consider using toothbrushes to scrub the lavatories from top to bottom. Erwin would rather give solitary confinement. And Hanji—," He shuddered at the thought. "I don't want to think about what her idea of a punishment would be. Makes cleaning seem easy."

"But if you missed a spot, I'll know it," Levi's voice came from the doorway.

Dillon stiffened. "Captain, I-"  
"Save it, Amsdale. Get out of my sight," he said briskly.

Jean moved first, setting his brush down. "So, we're done, then?"

"For now. But if the job wasn't done to my satisfaction, you're starting again at the crack of dawn, and you won't eat until the entire floor is clean enough to eat off." Levi scowled at the teens in front of him.

Dillon scrambled to his feet. "Understood, Captain. Thank—."

"Don't thank me until I've had a chance to check your work," Levi snapped, stepping into the large room.

The blacksmith blanched, nodding his head quickly. He darted out the door, with Jean on his heels. He skidded to a stop, surprise covering his face. The blond behind him slammed into his back unable to stop in time.

"Owww, what the hell, Dillon? What did you stop— oh." Jean cut himself off, catching sight of the reason for his reaction.

It was Annie, but looking different than anyone outside of maybe Dillon had seen her. Her hair was down, something that never happened when she wasn't in Titan form. It framed her face, giving her a softness that looked foreign but not completely out of place. She wore dark pants and a white top with her standard-issue black boots. She leaned against the building across from the men's lavatory, clearly waiting for something, or rather, someone.

Dillon had to swallow down the initial reaction of wanting to run over and kiss her senseless. He didn't need to be in more hot water than he was already in simply because he couldn't keep it in his pants.

Jean elbowed him, whispering, "I wouldn't keep her waiting if I were you. Girlfriend or not, she can be damn scary when she wants to be."

Annie pushed herself off the wall, approaching the two. "I heard that," she said, a hint of a smirk crossing her face.

Jean threw up his hands. "It's meant as a compliment, I promise. I, uh, just remembered, I have a... a thing I need to take care of. Bye!" With those words, he bolted, leaving the boyfriend and girlfriend alone.

Dillon raised his eyebrows and gave a low whistle. "You're looking especially nice this evening. Did I set up a date and forget?" His face turned red as he looked down at his own garments and he grimaced. "Maybe I better change into something cleaner."

She snorted. "You smell like sweat, urine, and bleach. Hardly attractive."

"Thanks. You're always good for a compliment," he snarked.

Annie rolled her eyes. "I'll wait outside your dorm while you shower. Just make it quick."

Dillon couldn't resist any longer, and he leaned over, brushing the hair back to kiss her cheek. "You're the best," he whispered before running across to dorms.

The Shifter made at a face at her boyfriend's stench but sighed, following at a slower pace. There was no hurry for her, after all. He had to get cleaned up before they could do anything else.

"Hey Annie! How'd it go?" Sasha's shit-eating grin was unmistakable. "Did you knock his socks off?"

"Do you see any socks laying on the ground, Potato Girl?" Annie didn't wait for a response. "There, you have your answer."

Sasha laughed. "How'd the sparring go?"

"I'm still here, and in one piece. What do you think?"

"I think your bet paid off, seeing as how you're cleaned up and definitely trying to impress your boyfriend. What are your plans for the rest of the night? Got something _fun_ up your sleeve, given what day it is?" Sasha wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at the blonde.

"And why should I tell you? Your boyfriend got Dillon in trouble," Annie snapped.

"Yeah, on purpose, otherwise you wouldn't have had the time you needed to shower and get all fancied up," Sasha shot back. "You owe us, and you know it."

"I'm not giving you an explanation, Sasha" the Shifter replied, starting to lose her patience.

"You know I have my ways," she said slyly. "I can get you to tell me."

Annie wanted nothing more than to strangle the girl. "I'm not telling you, and that's final. Talk to Dillon tomorrow if you're that desperate, I'm not falling for your games."

Sasha took the hint, backing a step or two away. "Okay, okay. No need to be so uptight about it." She circled the blonde slowly, earning a scowl. "Cute hair, by the way. You should wear it down more often. Makes you look more human, as weird as that is to say."

She glared daggers at the insufferable brunette. "Go find someone else to bother with your incessant babble."

The brunette finally left, humming softly as she walked away. "Have fun tonight," she singsonged over her shoulder.

Annie watched her leave, breathing a sigh of relief as the area fell quiet. She leaned against the wall of the dorm. Truth be told, she didn't have a lot of plans for the night. But she knew it didn't take much to make her boyfriend happy, so it would be enough. Her fingers slid into her pocket, verifying that the item within remained in place.

On cue, Dillon bounded down the stairs of the dorm, grinning as he caught sight of her again. His hair hung in wet locks, and as he got closer, she could pick up the faint scent of soap replacing the previous, offensive odor. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Did I miss anything?"

"You mean besides Potato Girl being a fucking pain in the ass? No," she replied.

The Psion winced. "That bad? What was she going on about this time?"

"Harassing me to tell her our plans for the evening." Annie growled. "She might have been able to annoy my birthday out of me before, but that technique won't always work for her."

Dillon gave a wolfish grin. "It's a damn good thing that she got your birthday. Otherwise we wouldn't be together now." He took her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. "So, where are we going?"

"For a walk," she said simply, tugging his hand toward the woods.

"Just a second! I need to grab my jacket then. You forgot yours, and it wouldn't do for us to be without one entirely," he said decisively. He dropped her hand and raced back to the dorm, taking the stairs two at a time. Although she didn't show it, Annie was silently grateful that he thought ahead that far.

Her eyes went to slowly fading light of the sky. They had a couple hours before darkness fully engulfed the Walls and then the stars would be their only light through the trees.

A touch at her waist snapped her out of her musings. Her hand automatically went for the knife hilt on the belt at her hips, but she relaxed when Dillon's voice accompanied the touch. "You seem deep in thought. Were you thinking about me and how much you love me?" he teased, a hint of smugness in his tone.

She shook her head. "Sorry to disappoint."

He faked a pout. "You're so hard on my pride."

"Well, someone has to be. Otherwise, you'd end up an arrogant jackass like Jean," Annie deadpanned.

"Oy, don't be like that! He's not always a jackass," Dillon protested, giving her a look. A closer look showed the corners of her mouth lifting as she fought to hide a smile. "You- No fair! Why do you have to be like this?"

"Because you make it too easy."

The pair fell into amicable silence as they walked slowly through the forest. Dillon slipped his hand back into Annie's, keeping step with her. The early evening sounds of birds, squirrels, and other woodland creatures kept the quiet from being eerie. The blacksmith kept stealing glances at his blonde girlfriend when he thought she wasn't looking, much to her chagrin.

"Stop doing that!" she finally snapped.

"Stop what? Looking at you? Why would I want to do that?" Dillon asked. "You're beautiful. Especially with your hair down like it is. Why the change?"

"Just something different," she mumbled, looking away.

"Sorry, but I don't believe that," he turned, and tilted her chin to look at him. "You're doing it for me, aren't you? Because I finally recognized that for better and for worse, you're the Female Titan, as well as the young woman I love?"

Annie huffed, blowing a strand of hair that fell across her eyes. "So what if I am? What would you do then?"

"This," he whispered, slipping his hand onto her waist to gently tug her against him while he kissed her. The warm, softness of his lips calmed her down and she leaned into the embrace.

Dillon gave a smile when he pulled away breathless. "Well, consider me having taken notice."

She gave a small smile. "Happy birthday, you dork," she whispered, digging in her pocket for something.

The blacksmith's eyes widened. "How the hell did you remember my birthday when I forgot it myself?"

She shrugged. "I forced myself to memorize it. Here. I know you can't forge your own blades while we're in the Scouts, but you should at least keep your knives sharp."

Her hand placed an item in the center of his palm. His brown eyes widened as he studied the rectangular, highly polished whetstone carved out of a pale green rock he'd never seen before. Upon further inspection, the color wasn't solid, instead containing flecks of a material that reflected the last fading vestiges of sunlight.

He turned his attention back to Annie. "This is beautiful. Where did you find it?"

"Imported to Marley from the Far East. They swore it would never break and it would sharpen blades faster than anything else. In my years of using it, I found that to be true," the blonde explained. "Long as you have water, it'll be the best whetstone you've used."

Dillon pressed a kiss to her forehead and turned the stone over again in his hand. "Thank you," he whispered. "This is a great gift. But I've already gotten the best gift I could've gotten."

Her expression hardened to her emotionless mask, though Dillon saw the pain flash in her eyes. "Figured as much. Worth a shot," she mumbled, pushing him away and walking back the way they came.

"Annie, wait," he cursed under his breath, shoving the stone in his pocket. Of all the times for him to stick his foot in his mouth… "The best gift I ever got was _YOU," _Dillon blurted.

His words froze her in her tracks. She turned, waiting to hear what else he might say. "I've caused you trauma, heartache, and grief," she enunciated slowly, counting them off on her fingers. "How the hell can you say that?" she asked incredulously.

"Because even through it all, you've never been anything other than yourself. I love you, Annie Leonhart! ALL of you. And I'm going to continue to do my damndest to show it!" He swore, closing the distance between them, cupped her face in both hands and pressed a searing kiss on her lips. She stiffened, and for a moment, Dillon wondered if she was going to react. His mind flashed back to the memory of Stohess and he kept kissing her, determined to get a response from her. Something. Anything.

Then she growled in the back of her throat and returned the kiss, backing them up until he was forced against a tree. Finally pulling away panting, she pressed her forehead against his. "Damn you, Dillon Amsdale. Why do you have to mess with my heart like that?"

"Because I love you," he repeated. "And besides, would you have it any other way?" he asked with a sly grin.

"Shut up and just kiss me," she grumbled.

Dillon smirked but obliged. Kissing led to making out, and they transitioned to more intimate things in the fading twilight. The blacksmith had to smile to himself as a thought crossed his mind briefly during a lull in their lovemaking. Life with Annie was never dull. They both had their share of sins and struggles that they had to face and live with, but at the end of the day, those didn't matter. They had each other, and with that bond, they could face whatever came their way. Such was the power of love forged through fire.

* * *

**AN: This story was written as a gift to my co-author for the True Queen series, Crod42. His story, A Blacksmith's Tale has inspired me, and I have greatly enjoyed paying homage to Dillon and his relationship with Annie. One thing to note, I did not set an exact timing for when this story was set. That said, I suppose one could consider it to a slight AU. Ultimately, I'll let the reader be the judge for that. I hope you all enjoyed this. For Crod42, I want to wish you a very Happy Birthday. Here's to another fantastic year full of stories and new adventures ahead~**


End file.
